


Blossoming

by ead13



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged up characters, OC is from Unova, aaaalll the grass types!, liberties taken with the storyline, monotype playthrough, she's also meant to have an Irish accent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22321807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ead13/pseuds/ead13
Summary: Molly O'Connor never dreamed of becoming a champion. She grew up in a humble family, and she knew the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations thanks to hardship. To travel with Pokémon, namely the types of Pokémon she loved most, and to get to know her homeland after being born across the sea would be enough for her. Leave all that champion business to her new neighbor, Hop.So why is it that she keeps ending up in the thick of things?
Relationships: relationship to be revealed
Kudos: 12





	1. Seeds of Promise

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted to try a run-through doing the "gym leader challenge", a.k.a. pick a type and only use Pokémon with that type. By now, we certainly have enough options to create a well-balanced team even with that rule. Where the Irish focus came from, I have no idea, but I'm dead set on it. All I can say is that I've been trying real hard to learn some slang that sets my OC apart from the more British characters like Hop. I certainly appreciate feedback on that front, especially if you are from Ireland! (It should be noted that I am from the Midwest of the United States, so pretty much all of the colloquialisms in dialogue come at a learning curve).

This whole thing was crazy. A herd of young trainers, chomping at the bit to take on the world, to be released all at once in a grand spectacle before crowds of thousands, broadcast for hundreds of thousands more. Logos of major companies plastered everywhere, from screens and billboards around the stadium to the very cape worn by the current champion. The emcee of the opening ceremonies was in fact the very man who owned or aided nearly all of those companies. It smelled like corporate scheming to her. How much money did they make off of their Pokémon League here in Galar anyhow?

“Hey, Molly, how can you cheer on Lee when you’ve got both hands on your phone? You need at least one to be able to do the Charizard pose!”

She looked up from the screen of her Rotom phone to find that her new neighbor, Hop, had let himself into her house and was now behind the couch, barely able to stand still. None of that surprised her, even after the short amount of time she’d gotten to know him. If his quirks were viewed positively, he simply knew what he wanted and went for it without hesitation. Lucky for him she was in general a positive sort of person. “So, why is Leon having a match today? Just to flex his muscles in front of the cameras and whip the audience into a tizzy? And what if he loses? Wouldn’t that shake up the standings right before sending all the trainers out on their Pokémon Challenge?”

“He won’t lose,” was Hop’s simple response, delivered with a vicious shake of his head.

Molly nearly protested, but decided that convincing him that a loss was possible would be futile. Leon was Hop’s older brother, and anyone who spent so much as five minutes with him would realize that he idolized him. In his eyes, Leon could do no wrong. She relaxed into the couch instead, laying down the phone next to her after pausing the live stream of the exhibition match. “Anyhow, this is so different from how things work in Unova. We don’t send all the trainers at once, they just set off to challenge gyms whenever they are ready. And there are no giant stadiums so everyone can watch, just a few bleachers in the gyms that the townspeople can use for entertainment in their downtime. Without a consistent schedule of battles, it is hard to do it any other way.”

Hop gaped. “No televised battles? No tournament? No opening ceremonies?”

She shook her head, sending her long chestnut curls waving. “The only battles they show on t.v. are the ones that happen when a trainer reaches the Champion after defeating the Elite Four. That’s pretty rare, all things considered. No glory for those that simply start out, or even manage to beat all the gyms. You are either the best or you aren’t, and no one will remember you if you aren’t. I mean, generally speaking, to become one of the Elite Four or even a Gym Leader, you need to have become Champion even for a short time, otherwise your credentials are pretty lack-luster and you won’t have the exposure you need to get the job. The idea of your brother having such a monopoly on the Championship title is strange to me, coming from a revolving door system.”

She saw him puff out his chest in pride. “No one can beat Leon. Believe me, they try all the time. I mean, today will be the tenth time now that Raihan tries to take his title? He’s the only one who ever gets close!”

Molly cocked her head. “How did Leon get so much stronger than everyone else? Why is it that in, what, nine years, no one can touch him?”

“He’s a genius.” That answer seemed to suffice for Hop, but it did not suffice for her.

“Or maybe it’s because everyone fights with one type of Pokémon? I mean, Dragon types are definitely notorious for being the strongest, but Raihan might get an edge if he had something unpredictable up his sleeve.”

“Well, I plan on balancing my team, and I’m definitely going to be the one to unseat him as Champion, so…” Hop tucked his arms behind his head and grinned. “We’ll test your experiment. All we have to do is get Lee’s letter of endorsement this afternoon.”

At the reminder of their goal for the day, Molly stood up, turning off her phone before shoving it into her pocket. “Hmm. Then I suppose I have no choice but to play the role of controlled variable.”

Hop’s brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”

“Easy. I’m going to see how far I can get with one type of Pokémon.”

“Have you lost the plot? What were we just talking about?”

Molly simply shrugged, beginning to walk from the living room towards her bedroom in search of her rucksack. “I said being monotype was not smart if you wanted to win it all. I never said I personally wanted to win it all. I just want to see how far I can get.”

Hop practically chased after her. “But I need a proper rival to get stronger! How can you…oh, hello Ms. O’Connor…” he paused to greet the woman who was observing the pair in amusement as she dried dishes in the kitchen. “…How can you be my rival if you aren’t taking it seriously?”

He skidded to a halt at her bedroom door, watching as she grabbed her rucksack and slung it over one shoulder. “Hop, I also never said I wasn’t going to take it seriously. I’m going to give it my all to prove how strong a single type can be when raised properly.” 

Hop threw up his hands in exasperation. “Fine then, as long as you push me.”

“You imply that I owe it to you or something,” she retorted with a raised eyebrow before donning her cap.

The annoyance flashing in her light green eyes earned a deep sigh as he bowed his head. Times like this reminded Hop that his new friend was in fact two years older and far more adult than him. “Sorry, Molly, I know I get carried away with my big plans. I’m just happy to have someone to do this Challenge with. You’ve seen the neighborhood; haven’t had a kid even close to my age while growing up, not ‘til you moved here.”

“Yeah, can’t toss a rock in Postwick without hitting a retiree or an old farmer. Still not sure how you lot ended up out here…” she frowned as she adjusted her glasses.

“Lee got us this house once he made Champion, so our family would have a nice, quiet place to live. He always wants to take care of us, except maybe buying us a house in Postwick backfired. I dunno. Either way, it was awfully lonely.”

“So you spent your every waking moment studying Leon’s battles and training Wooloo, right?”

“Right!” Hop pumped his fists excitedly, suddenly reenergized. “And after all those years, I’ll finally have a chance to put what I’ve learned into practice! Let’s go meet up with Lee, huh? I just can’t wait to get that endorsement!”

“Right. Because he will for sure give it to us?”

“I’m sure he will. Why wouldn’t he?”

Molly sighed, shaking her head. “Bird in the hand, Hop…” She couldn’t help but smile though. How could his enthusiasm not rub off? Besides, for many years she’d fancied having the rite of passage a journey with Pokémon provided, one she’d thought out of reach until moving to Galar. She was finally getting her chance, and that was enough to get her scampering out of the house, hot on Hop’s heels.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

It turned out that Leon hadn’t made it home yet after his match, and Hop was convinced it was because he had gotten lost. A pitiful sense of direction was his elder brother’s greatest weakness, he explained as they traveled the pastoral road to Wedgehurst. Despite having his Rotom phone upgrade, he still couldn’t find a Pokémon Center in a two-building town.

In all actuality, the Champion’s tardiness was more due to the mob of fans surrounding him at the train station than him getting lost. Just like how she’d seen him on the t.v. programs, he was dramatically doing his signature pose alongside his iconic Charizard and offering upbeat banter to the crowd. As they got closer, Molly could make out his encouragement for his fans to become stronger, and to take him on one day, though they all denied that they could ever be a match for him. It occurred to her as Hop stubbornly pushed his way through the throng that perhaps by this point Leon was bored of sitting unchallenged at the top, and therefore he wanted to push people to get to his level. The pedestal they put him on seemed to be in the clouds, miles away from everyone else. Why, maybe he wasn’t just bored, but also lonely! Hop meant well, but his utter devotion couldn’t help remedy that feeling either despite the fact that they were brothers. Even now, all his chatter revolved around how awesome his exhibition match had been, and how he couldn’t wait to become Champion just like him. It really wasn’t helping to keep him grounded.

Finally, Hop managed to drag Leon away from his fans after getting him to return Charizard to its Pokeball. Even then, as he pulled, Leon was still waving goodbye behind him to a final barrage of camera flashes. “Hey Lee, you’ve never met Molly, our new neighbor, have you?” Hop demanded. He stopped directly in front of her and folded his arms. Molly imagined having to share Leon’s attention was getting on his nerves, especially when he was so rarely home.

Leon finally focused on the girl in question, golden eyes scanning her curiously while he brought a gloved hand to his chin. “I don’t believe so, but Hop has told me all about you. New to Galar?”

“Yeah and no. My folks came from here, but I was born in Unova. When my Da passed, Ma wanted to come home and be with the rest of my family.”

“Oh,” Leon blinked, looking apologetic. She got that same look every time she brought that topic up. Better to get it over with so they could move on past the pity party. “I’m sorry you didn’t come in better circumstances. Your family is from Postwick then?”

“Bang on. My Ma’s family herded Wooloo. She only went to Unova to follow my Da and his work with the railroad.”

“Change of pace for you then, I imagine. Unova’s pretty built up, from what I hear.”

“Nah, not as much as you’d think. I grew up in Anville Town, little settlement in the middle of the woods at the end of the line. The trains all came there for repairs, which is what my Da did, and there was a small market every Saturday, but it was still quiet.” Molly paused and offered a small smile. “I suppose the biggest difference is that there are fewer trees and a lot more Wooloo here.”

“Ha! I believe the ratio is four Wooloo per person in Postwick! It was pretty easy to find just the right one to become Hop’s partner Pokémon when we moved here.”

The mention of Pokémon reminded Hop of his request, she could see it in the sparkle of his eyes, just as golden as his sibling’s. “Hey, Lee, speaking of Pokémon, we need to get your endorsement so we can take on the Gym Challenge! We only have a few days before the opening ceremony after all!”

“Huh?” Leon blinked, looking down the few inches of height difference at his younger brother. “What makes you think I’d give you an endorsement?”

Hop put his hands on his hips, huffing in annoyance at this lukewarm response. “Because we’re family, obviously! And you know that I’m so ready for this!”

Leon heaved a sigh and shook his head. “The family thing is exactly why I CAN’T be the one to endorse you. How do you think that would look to the other competitors?”

“So you really won’t? What else am I supposed to do? I’ve been waiting forever to be old enough!” Hop was walking a fine line between disbelief and outrage, and Molly was suddenly wishing she hadn’t come along for this meeting. Apparently Hop had exaggerated the likelihood of getting the necessary endorsement in his eagerness.

“Hey, calm down Hop.” Leon held out his hands in an attempt to placate him. “I get it, you are sixteen now, and you’ve been preparing for years. I’m not saying you aren’t ready, I’m only saying I can’t be the one to sign off. What I could do is put in a good word for you with someone else who could.”

“Like who?”

“Well…” Leon’s eyes trailed to the left, and something in that direction must have inspired him. “What about Professor Magnolia? I’m sure she’d endorse you.”

“She’s retired,” Hop retorted flatly.

“So?”

“She’s not going to be at her lab.”

“No, she won’t. You’ll have to prove you are ready to handle the Challenge by taking a trip down Route 2 to get to her lakeside cottage.”

“What about Molly?” Hop pointed over to her with his thumb.

Now Leon looked confused. “What about Molly?”

“She doesn’t have any Pokémon yet, but she wants to try the Gym Challenge too!”

“Ah, I see.” Leon scratched his head, clearly attempting to resolve this unexpected turn of events. Molly was unsure why; her lack of a Pokémon was hardly his problem. She just as soon figured she’d borrow Budew until she could catch a Pokémon of her own. “Well…I guess it is a good thing I brought three different Pokémon with me for you to choose from…”

The annoyance on Hop’s face vanished in the blink of an eye. “Wait, you brought Pokémon for me?”

“Well, yeah. I knew you were going to want to sign on for the Gym Challenge as soon as possible, and I thought you should have a parting gift from your big brother. Molly can have one too.”

His offer was staggeringly generous, and more than she ought to accept. “That’s awfully kind of you, Leon, but you don’t hafta give me a Pokémon just to be polite. You don’t really know me after all.”

“But you are Hop’s friend, and that’s good enough for me,” Leon decided. “Besides, the Champion has access to lots of Pokémon. It’s no problem at all.” He slipped his rucksack from his broad shoulders, hidden the entire time under his heavy cape, and then reached inside to withdraw three pokeballs. Each bore a different type symbol on the outside. “Now Hop, you only get one, so you’ll have to decide: grass, water, or fire.”

“Hold up, Lee.” Hop took a step back, allowing Molly a better view. “I already have Wooloo, and Molly doesn’t have any Pokémon. She should pick first.”

A proud smile crossed his brother’s face. “A gentleman. Very well then. Molly, I realize this is rather spur-of-the-moment, but which type would you like?”

In truth, she’d already made the decision long ago in her idle daydreams. That her chosen type was represented in the trio of options was a fortunate coincidence. “Grass, please.”

Leon nodded, handing her the pokeball that corresponded with her desire. The sphere felt solid in her hands, perfectly smooth, and a bit heavier than expected. She had never held her parents’ pokeballs for Munchlax or Budew, and in fact she didn’t rightly know where they were even kept. Here she was though, at age 18, finally in possession of a Pokémon all her own, and completely on a whim of a near stranger. It was overwhelming to think about.

She barely heard Hop’s decision to take the water-type Sobble. It was only Leon’s commanding voice that brought her back to the moment. “I trust you two will take good care of those Pokémon. You should spend some time getting to know them, and maybe head for the cottage tomorrow.”

“You know what this means, right?” Hop asked with twinkling eyes.

Leon pretended to think. “Barbecue?”

“Barbecue! Molly, you and your mom are definitely coming over and joining us.” Hop was living up to his name now as he bounced around joyfully. “I can’t wait to show them our new partners!”

“Umm, Hop?” Molly questioned timidly.

“Yeah?”

“This will sound really daft, but…will you show me how to throw the pokeball?”

Now he was grinning ear to ear. “Of course! I’ve been practicing!”

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Leon was inside unpacking for his overnight stay, and the two mothers were chattering as they prepared the food, so that just left Hop and Molly out in the yard, each with their new pokeball in hand.

“So, the first thing you’ve got to master is catching the pokeball as it flies back to your hand. It would be super embarrassing to drop it in the middle of a match! Here, like this…” Hop did some kind of fancy wind-up before tossing his pokeball, releasing his new ally in a burst of light. As the creature materialized, the ball came flying back into his waiting hand. He made it look so easy, but Molly knew it came from years of practice.

Any thoughts of technique disappeared as the pair fawned over the small aquatic lizard. His big eyes certainly added to the cuteness factor. Reserved at first, the creature finally began experimentally crawling up Hop’s arm and onto his shoulder, much to his delight. “I’ve never seen a Sobble up close before! You are amazing, little guy! I can’t wait to work with you!”

“Are you going to give him a name?”

Hop considered this for a moment. “I’m not much good with names.” Then, he smiled and held out his finger to Sobble, letting him grasp it with tiny hands. “Go on then, Molly, let’s see your Pokémon! I don’t even know what the grass type option was!”

“Ah, right.” Molly took a deep breath and stared down the pokeball in her hand for a moment. If Hop received a Sobble, a Pokémon that was extremely rare, what kind of creature was she holding? Could it be as rich of a gift? Then, she steeled her resolve and tossed the ball overhand as she saw Hop do, but without the theatrics. She was so surprised by the monkey-like creature that materialized that she completely forgot to catch the ball on its return.

“A Grookey! Hey, he’s pretty cute too!” And she agreed completely. The little guy was much more extroverted than Sobble had been, scampering up to her curiously. Molly found herself crouching down to get a better look at her new partner. As his tail swished, he pulled out a stick he had been carrying on his back and began to tap out a happy rhythm. Molly was absolutely delighted.

“Pretty cute? He’s the cutest!” Instead of taking his hand and interrupting his drumming, she began to tap out a rhythm of her own on the ground to compliment his, which made him chatter happily in response. “I can’t believe Leon gave me such an amazing Pokémon! I can’t thank him enough!”

“Heh, I told you, Lee’s the best!”

Initially, Molly had found Leon to be an overconfident showboat, a fact she kept well-hidden from Hop, but she was quickly changing her opinion. Perhaps he liked to ham it up, and perhaps he was distracted constantly, but surely his heart was in the right places. “I’m starting to believe you.”

“Well, now there’s just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“We REALLY need to work on your pokeball-throwing technique!”


	2. Sprout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Molly and Hop embark on a quest to get that endorsement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So part of the Irish theme is the names Molly gives her Pokémon. If the pronunciation isn't obvious, I'll make a note on how to pronounce them (because I was real serious about doing my homework.

“AY-min? How do you even spell that?”

With rucksacks packed for the day’s journey, Molly and Hop were headed down the path to Wedgehurst once again, but this time with their new companions perched on their shoulders. Neither had it in their hearts to keep them in their pokeballs after becoming fast friends the evening before. In all honesty, Grookey was heavier than she’d expected for such a small creature, but she didn’t complain; she simply warned him that once he evolved they would not be doing this anymore…

“E-A-M-O-N. It’s a traditional name. I spent a long time thinkin’ it over last night.”

“Why that one?”

“Because it means ‘wealthy protector’. Grookey was a rich gift from your brother, and of course he will be my right hand man. Isn’t that right, Eamon?” She reached up to scratch Grookey’s head, earning a pleased chatter.

Hop threw up his hands. “This is why I don’t name my Pokémon. You put so much thought into it, and I’d just be like ‘you look like a Bob’. Sorry Sobble, I hope you don’t mind.” Sobble’s chirping seemed to demonstrate acceptance as he cocked his head.

“To each his own. Say, what was Leon going to do with that third Pokémon?”

“Raise him, I think. Lee’s always working with new Pokémon. Keeps things interesting for him. The only requirement is that Charizard is always on his team.”

“Stands to reason.”

The pair continued on, conversing about nothing in particular, until they arrived at the edge of town. Hop paused in his tracks, leaving Molly looking back in confusion. “Hey Molly, there is something we should do before we head to the cottage. You see that big building at the end of the lane with the pokeball symbol?”

Molly shielded her eyes. “Yeah, I see it.”

“That’s the Pokémon lab. Professor Magnolia doesn’t work there very often anymore as she’s getting on in years, but her granddaughter Sonia should be in. She could hook us up with a phone upgrade that will give us Pokedex capabilities. It would be real helpful to have.”

This piqued her interest. “A Pokedex? That sounds fierce. But are you sure about this? I mean, more than that letter of recommendation?”

This bit of teasing earned her a scowl. “Oi, uncalled for! Come on, then.”

Hop didn’t even bother to knock once they arrived, as if he had some level of familiarity with the place. As the door to the lab swung open, they were greeted by high-pitched, almost comical barking. It didn’t take long to find the source, as a Yamper came barreling around the corner, then stood its ground in front of them while continuing to yap. Molly had never seen a Pokémon like it before. Must have been a Galar native.

“Heya mate, been a while, huh?” Hop reached down to pet the Pokémon, careful to keep a very nervous Sobble balanced on his shoulder. Apparently, all he had wanted was attention, because as soon as Hop started to pet him, he ceased his barking and rolled onto his back, exposing his round belly for a rub. He wriggled his entire body in excitement.

“Some guard you are, Yamper.” Molly tore her eyes from the adorable scene to find a young woman with fiery orange hair standing at the railing of the second floor, with a hand on her hip and the other twirling a loose strand. Was this the person in charge of the lab? She didn’t look it, with her heeled boots and leggings and elaborate nail polish. Weren’t scientists and researchers supposed to get their hands dirty? “Though I suppose it is just Hop. Well, Hop and a friend.”

“You come here often, Hop?” Molly wondered.

“Yeah. This is Sonia, the one I was mentioning. She’s a friend of my brother’s.”

“Tch. More like I kept him from getting lost along our Gym Challenge.” Sonia rolled her vibrant, aquamarine eyes as she descended the stairs, but her smile revealed she had no ill feelings about it. “I think he stuck with me because of that and my cooking.”

“Your curries are top-notch,” Hop nodded in agreement.

Sonia’s eyes came to rest on Molly. “So who’s your friend?”

“Oh, this is Molly. She moved next-door, relatively speaking, about a month ago. She’s going to do the Gym Challenge with me!”

“Molly…nice to meet you.” Sonia offered a well-manicured hand, which Molly shook. She felt a bit self-conscious about the condition of her own hands as she did. Her family never had the money for luxuries like hand creams and nail polish growing up, and now that they did, she wasn’t in the habit of considering those sorts of things. Perhaps she ought to start. “I might have figured you were about to head out to Motostoke. Did you get Leon to endorse you?”

Hop pouted a bit at the mention of his failed petition, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Well, no. He didn’t want a ‘conflict of interests’ or some rubbish.”

Sonia raised a perfectly-groomed eyebrow. “I hope you aren’t here looking for an endorsement from me. You know anything I give would be worthless.”

“Lee told us to get the endorsements from Professor Magnolia.” Sonia started to open her mouth to protest, but Hop cut her off. “Yes, I know she’s not here. We just wanted to see about getting a Pokedex app before heading out to Route 2. Think you can hook us up?”

The young woman relaxed a bit. “That I can do. Your phones, please?” Both Hop and Molly pulled their phones from their pockets and handed them over. “This will just take a second. You two can make yourselves at home in the kitchen over there while I run the software. Make some tea or whatever you like. Hop knows where to find what you need.” She gestured to a small table and chairs to the left of the entrance, but instead of sitting as suggested, Molly spied a giant glass wall towards the back of the lab. Behind it was a veritable jungle of plants thriving in their ideal conditions, with blooms of a whole rainbow of colors. She was like a Mothim drawn to a flame.

“Does the professor like grass Pokémon too?” she wondered, resisting the urge to press against the glass lest she leave unsightly fingerprints.

Hop just shrugged. “No more than any other type. I know for a fact she’s got a pet Chewtle. I think it’s her husband that really likes gardening.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t hide the slight disappointment in her tone.

“You in love with the grass type, Molly? Is that the one type you are going to focus on like you said?”

“Yeah. It’s hard to explain why though.” She furrowed her brow in thought. “Maybe it’s because I grew up surrounded by forest. Going out to play, I often saw Petilil and Foongus and Cottonee. From a safe distance, of course. I guess they remind me of home.”

“Well, that makes sense…”

“Or, maybe it’s because they can inflict a heap of status conditions and drain their victims’ health.” She turned and flashed a diabolical smile, making Hop blink in surprise. Just as quickly as her mischievous demeanor came on, it hid itself once more. “Then again, maybe I just like the color green, like on this handsome fella.” She gave Eamon a pat on the head.

“But there are all kinds of cool Pokémon! I mean, didn’t you think Yamper was cute?”

Molly turned around and analyzed the Pokémon, who was standing right behind them panting. His blank expression nearly made her snort. “He is cute. He’d make a nice pet. I just wouldn’t feel as inspired to train him as I would grass Pokémon.” Yamper titled his head in confusion. “No offense, buddy.”

“I don’t know… I think you might cave once you see how much diversity is out there.”

“We’ll see. But I’m tellin’ ya, I’m right stubborn.”

“All done!” Sonia interjected. They both turned to see her holding up their phones in triumph. “Why don’t you give it a try on your Pokémon, make sure I installed it properly?”

“Okay!” Hop eagerly darted over and took back his phone. “How does it work?”

“Just point and scan with the app open.”

“Like this?” He attempted to turn his phone so he could get a read on Sobble, who had yet to leave his shoulder. His thumb kept attempting to hit the button at that strange angle, to no avail.

“That’s probably too close to pick up. Why don’t you try it on Grookey over there?”

“Right.” Hop focused on his new target and hit the button successfully.

The phone emitted a stilted, robotic voice. “Grookey, the chimp Pokémon. When it uses its special stick to strike up a beat, the sound waves produced carry revitalizing energy to the plants and flowers in the area.”

“They do? That’s incredible!” Molly gawked, turning to give her partner an appreciative glance.

“Brilliant. But wait…is that why my mum found a patch of grass in the yard this morning that was a good inch taller than the entire rest of the lawn?”

They both recalled the way Grookey had been tapping out a beat the day before and grinned. “Grass Pokémon, I’m tellin’ ya!”

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Two Rookidees, at one o’clock and three o’clock. A Nickit at eleven o’clock, and Yamper dead ahead. At least, that was what Hop was calling the creatures below the rise. Molly shook her head in disappointment. She and Hop were looking down the stretch of Route 2, getting a scope on the Pokémon available to add to their teams, but so far, there was nothing that looked even remotely grass-like. “This looks like a right bust,” she muttered.

“What do you mean? There’s three different Pokémon, and that’s just what is in plain sight!”

“They’re not grass though!”

“Aww, are you really still stuck on that?” When she nodded resolutely, he shook his head. “Well, I’ve done my homework, and I know for a fact there should be at least one grass type native to this area. It’s small though, so you’ll probably have to dive into the tall grass and go looking close-up.”

This brightened her mood. “Ooh, which one? Is it something I would recognize?”

“Seedot.”

She nodded happily. “We haven’t got any of them in Unova, but I know my grass Pokémon. A Seedot could turn into my first dual-type once it evolves! Besides, as much as I love you, Eamon, I need back-up as soon as possible. I guess I’ll be heading in. You ready, boy?” She looked to Eamon, who nodded in agreement. “Hop, you and I should probably split up. You head on, seeing as you’ll probably catch one of those guys frolicking about, right?”

Hop punched a fist in his hand. “Right. I want to start with one of those Rookidee. A steel bird down the road seems like a solid plan. Good luck in your hunt, Molly. I’ll meet you at the end of the route.” In a flash, Hop was darting down the stairs two at a time, more than willing to draw attention to himself and leave Molly an opening to sneak in behind.

Once he’d gone far enough ahead, Molly took a deep breath and tentatively entered the waist-high grass. To Hop, it wasn’t such a big deal, she imagined. He had Wooloo for a long time, didn’t need to stay out of places like this. All she could hear in her head were her mother’s warnings about straying too far into the forest, that a Ninetales might bewitch her or some other horrible fate. She of course didn’t believe that would happen after a certain age, but she did consider the unwanted event of being paralyzed with a stun spore attack. Nope, no need to stay out any longer, not with Eamon, her literal defender.

It ended up being slow going. She found several of a strange, reflective bug Pokemon that she didn’t recognize, and also a few Rookidee that were scavenging close to the ground. Each time, a few threatening waves of Eamon’s stick were enough to dissuade them from attacking. She got about halfway down the route when she nearly tripped on exactly what she was looking for, and a sound akin to the rattling of seeds in a hollow gourd was the big tip-off.

“Oi, Eamon, there it is!” She pointed, as if her Pokémon wasn’t able to see it for himself. “Umm, scratch it!”

Before the Seedot could waddle away, Eamon was leaping from her shoulder, ready to rake his claws against the enemy. The simple attack seemed to do decent damage despite the tough-looking exterior, leaving her to conclude that must have been a very young Seedot. Perfect. The less experienced they were, the easier they were to train. They were also easier to catch. In fact, she was willing to gamble that the single attack would be enough. At least she wouldn’t have to catch the pokeball on the return if things went well…

With a huff of air, she flung the ball. It was a small target, but thankfully not too far away. She watched with bated breath as the Seedot disappeared in a flash of light and was drawn into the ball. It fell to the ground and rocked once. Twice. The third time it clicked and fell still.

There was a slight pause, and then… “I did it! I caught a Pokémon!” The shrill cry of triumph burst from her throat before she could help herself, and it sent all the Rookidee in the area fluttering away in a panic. She hurriedly bent down to pick up the pokeball. “Fine work, Eamon!”

From somewhere down the path, a distant voice replied. “Good work Molly!”

She laughed to herself as she removed her rucksack from her shoulders. “I know we should hurry and meet Hop now that we found what we were looking for, but I want to make sure our new friend is okay. If I release ‘im, will you help calm ‘im?”

Eamon nodded, prompting her to cast the ball. She focused intently on catching it on the return and very nearly had it. In the end it bounced off her hands instead.

Seedot was understandably anxious to see the Grookey that attacked it not a minute before standing in front of him. Eamon did his best to chatter conversationally while keeping his hands and feet on the ground as he approached. Meanwhile, Molly was pulling a few oran berries from her pack. Hop had suggested potions back in Wedgehurst, but she preferred more natural methods if they were available. “I’m sorry, little fella. I hope Eamon here didn’t do too much harm. You would’ve run away otherwise, but I really want to work with you. Here, have some. They’ll have you feelin’ right as rain in no time.” She placed the berries on the ground at Seedot’s feet, then withdrew, allowing him to eat whenever he felt ready. Though…did he even have a mouth? Surely he must! Seedot turned its round body both ways as if making sure it wasn’t a trick of some kind before tentatively accepting the offering. She still couldn’t tell where the food was going, but it was certainly disappearing.

“Now then, we’ll have to decide on a name for you, if it’s not too soon.” She hummed thoughtfully as she studied her newest partner. “You know, someday you’re goin’ to be a Shiftry. High king of the forest, but hides in shadow. That deserves a kingly name. I think…Cormac, the raven. What do you think, little buddy?”

She would have said Seedot was looking at her with wide eyes, but she was fairly certain his eyes, painted on as they looked, were always that big. She wasn’t entirely sure how to interpret that hollow rattling sound either. “Umm…Eamon? Is he fine with that name?” Eamon just scratched his head. “Well, I suppose you’d be more visibly upset if you hated it, right? And no pressure to evolve into a Shiftry, by the way. I think you are adorable the way you are, and perfect for hugging. You know, once we reach that point in our relationship.”

The way Cormac bounced couldn’t be mistaken for anything but happiness that time.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

When Molly finally made her approach to the lakeside cottage, Hop noticed that she wasn’t just hauling Eamon on her shoulder, but now was carrying a Seedot in her arms. “You found one AND it already lets you hold it? Real ace, mate!”

She beamed proudly, coming to a stop alongside him. “Did you catch anything?”

“Uh huh. There were a lot of interesting-looking Pokémon, but I didn’t want to go crazy. I picked a gutsy Rookidee. What can I say, I liked his spunk.”

“Hmm, you know, I’ve noticed that Rookidee kind of matches your aesthetic…”

“Really?” Hop shook his head with a laugh. “I guess I could see it. Anyways, this is Professor Magnolia’s house. Now we just have to ask her for those letters of endorsement.”

“Will she give them?”

“Definitely. I’ve known her for a long time now, and with her granddaughter Sonia being so close with Leon? This is a cinch. Come on, then.” Hop turned and marched up to the front door, already knocking assertively before she could even catch up. She reached the front porch just in time to see the door creak open, revealing an elderly woman bowed over her carved walking stick. Now this, Molly thought, looked like a professor: no frills, stern look, and wearing a lab coat even in retirement.

“Good afternoon Professor Magnolia!” Hop greeted cheerfully.

The professor adjusted her bifocals, appearing entirely unsurprised by Hop’s unannounced arrival. “Good afternoon, dear. I imagine you are here seeking an endorsement for the Gym Challenge, am I right?”

“Right! Did Leon talk to you already?”

“No, no. But I wouldn’t be the leading expert on Dynamax theory if I couldn’t put two and two together. It is that time of year, after all, and you are finally 16.”

Hop suddenly looked a bit nervous. “So…please please PLEASE tell me you’ll write one for us? I wasn’t expecting Leon to turn me down!”

“Us?” Professor Magnolia quirked an eyebrow and turned her gaze to Molly. “Who is this?”

“Ah, that’s my new neighbor, Molly. She just got her first Pokémon from Leon and is going to go with me on our Gym Challenge!”

“Hmmm.” The professor rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Of course I will write you a letter, Hop. I’ve seen you preparing for years. I’m afraid I will need some convincing about your friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it actually a cliff-hanger if we all know the end result?


End file.
